VISION
Sudbury's Lifelines articulates a vision for the revitaliza¬tion of the urban core of Greater Sudbury by introducing new lines of life through the city and region. Sudbury's downtown, currently characterized by surface parking, vacant properties, and inward-facing hubs of activity, has enormous potential surrounding its history, geography, and social environment to generate a vibrant, unique, and coherent urban core.
THE GREEN LOOP
At the regional level, the proposal establishes a Greater Sudbury Green Loop: a multi-use recreational path that strengthens the connections of greenways, creeks and watercourses significant to the region. In the city centre, the Loop connects Junction Creek in the north and Lilly Creek in the south by establishing a green space corridor in the city and by transforming Paris Street into a green boulevard. The downtown plays an important role in link¬ing the gap between these significant natural assets.
To the south, the green boulevard connects Bell Park and Ramsey Lake with Lilly Creek. Junction Creek and Lilly Creek meet at Robinson Lake which further extends to the Fielding Bird Sanctuary. To the north, the Loop meets at Hnatyshyn Park, continuing north to Nickeldale Con¬servation Area and further to Wanapitei Lake. The Loop also connects other tourist attractions like Science North, Dynamic Earth, and eventually east to Lake Laurentian Conservation Area.
To reflect the characteristics of the unique creek and lake geography of the region, the Green Loop in the city cen¬tre implements a green space corridor with wetland char¬acter and water features, to represent the original creek network that was covered up. The existing pedestrian underpass to the main station is widened and strength¬ened as a gateway to downtown from Junction Creek.
ACCESSILBE & ACTIVE LANEWAYS
To repair missing links in the pedestrian network with unique routes that support increased walking activity, the proposal gives a new function and life to the city's lan¬eways structure. It completes a grid of pedestrian and cycling routes that connect to the surrounding neighbour¬hoods and new districts. The laneways become unique urban acupuncture places for social interaction, outdoor dining, live music, outdoor markets, and art. Existing parking lots are largely replaced with pocket parks and squares and infill parking garage buildings are placed in strategic locations within the blocks.
THE URBAN LOOP & NEW DISTRICTS
The aim is to increase the density of the urban core with a new Art District, Rainbow Retail & Recycling District, Mining Innovation Cluster, and a new Entertainment Dis¬trict. All these areas are connected through a sequence of public parks, plazas and squares that create a second, inner Urban Loop within the city.
The Community Arena's structure is repurposed to create an Open-Air City Entrance space, connecting the train station and Memorial Park. This space becomes a covered public playground, exhibition area, market square and social park to be used year round. The Junction is placed adjacent which forms the main Art District, a new hub for culture and creativity next to the train station and Sudbury Theatre. The program stays the same, as a multi-use com¬plex that houses the new Art Gallery of Sudbury, the new public library and a convention and performance theatre space.
To the north, the Rainbow Centre Mall is reimagined as a disassembled mall structure with similar scale to the exist¬ing urban fabric. This area becomes the Rainbow Retail & Recycling District, offering a different retail experience by promoting local sharing economies. Arts and craft work¬shops, fab labs, co-working spaces and residential build¬ings influence this district.
The new Mining Innovation Cluster is designed where existing buildings with similar functions exist today. The district is aimed for companies and institutions pursuing research and development in new mining technologies. In the west is a variety of new housing typologies for a wide range of incomes (from student housing to multi-family apartments) placed with the possibility of a future con¬nection to the housing areas in the Entertainment District in the south.
The new Arena and Event Centre that has been pro¬posed in the Kingsway location is relocated to the urban core. Assuming the relocation of the Canadian Pacific Railway lines, the area is reimagined as a mix between a new Entertainment District with its associated hotel and underground parking structures and mixed-use buildings. A new bus terminal is placed in close connection to the Junction Creek path to provide a convenient public trans¬portation connection to the district. New entrepreneur¬ial cafes are proposed to encourage knowledge sharing between people attending events in the district.
The city currently has a bus-based public transit system, with VIA rail and the Sudbury Ontario Northland Bus Terminal as main intercity transportation options. In the proposal, the transit terminal is renovated with a big¬ger capacity and better infrastructure that allows for an increase in the service. With the number of parking spaces decreased, two new bus terminals are proposed. Several main connections become car free, enabling the walking and biking culture to grow.
CONCLUSION
In 2050, Sudbury people do not demolish buildings, they refurbish and integrate their history into the community. Citizens of different cultures and backgrounds meet on the laneways to have a coffee and discuss art exhibitions displayed at the local Arena & Event Centre or Open-Air City Entrance space. New lines of life are established through the Green and Urban Loops and the laneways, weaving new possibilities for living, work, play and social encounters in the urban core. These new lifelines not only add vibrancy to the downtown area but also connect peo¬ple with the unique natural assets of the greater region: the creeks, the lakes, the rocky shores; where citizens and visitors can enjoy throughout the year.
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